Strengthening Your Voice 2018 LED and CAP Month Advocacy: Raising - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Strengthening Your Voice 2018 LED and CAP Month Advocacy: Raising Prevention Awareness Across Michigan

Building The Prevention Voice  Educating and Bringing Awareness to Policymakers and our Communities  Preparing for LED/CAP Month  Following Up

Why Get Involved?  You Are  You Can (Anytime, Anywhere)  You already have the skills you need  Doesn’t have to happen in Lansing  It doesn’t take that many of us  You Should  Role as a public agency

How Do We Affect Change? Educating the people who can make the changes you want  Informing Decision-Makers  Child abuse and neglect issues within your county  About great work being done  Using data, information and stories  LED  Talk to Other People  About issues of concern  Sharing the good work  CAP Month Events

What You Need to Know for LED and CAP Month  WHAT we are talking about – the issues  WHO we’re educating – the players  WHEN to target them – the process  HOW to assure that they are informed – the message

Know the Issues  We Know the Issues  We Are the Solution

Know the Players  Michigan legislature and voters  Every legislator can influence change  What influences them?  Who Do We Know  Who Do We Need

What Influences Decision Makers  Friends  Title or position  Information  Numbers  Constituents  Kids  Money

Michigan Situation  Good News! Everybody is for kids  Good News! We know what to do  Bad News! Limited political will to change the trend of disinvestment  Why aren’t they listening?

How Do We Get Them to Listen?  We use “frames” to filter new information, based on life experiences  Frame for prevention in the legislature: substance use  Other things to remember: budget realities, tax cuts

Current Opportunity: State Budget Discussions The State Budget Provides the Clearest Indication of the State’s Priorities.  Like Elsewhere In Our Lives: What We Resource is What Gets Done  Governor Release Budget Recommendations  Legislative Committees Beginning Their Review  Short/Closed Process  All Legislators Play Their Part

Where Do You Fit In The Process?  Legislature will have released their budget  They are busy, have lots of issues to weigh in on  You can connect the dots between your work and they issues they are already talking about

Where Do You Fit In The Process?  What do policymakers need to know about children, youth and families in your area?  What do policymakers need to know about your program?  What are you focusing on?  What barriers are you facing?  How are you contributing to substance use prevention?

What To Expect in Lansing  Meet us at the United Methodist Church in the AM  Short Meetings  Often Meeting With Staff – Hooray!  Traditional meeting or ‘pull off the floor’  We’ll schedule the appointments, we just need your schedule

What To Expect in Lansing  During the meeting, don’t forget:  The issue – unmet prevention need  Pertinent stats and info about your area  Rising need  Tie it to substance use  The work you’re doing  The work you’re most proud of  Who is coming? Who is saying what?

What To Expect in Lansing  Be genuine, be professional  Hand Them Something  Leave With a Plan for Next Steps

CAP Month Events Around MI  What is the message of your event(s)?  How can it support prevention advocacy?  Have you invited or alerted media?  Ask a board member or other supporters to write to local media about prevention  Send a news release  Have you invited policymakers? Voices Leadership Training Michigan's Children

After Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day  Communicating with lawmakers  Thank you (public and private)  Sharing additional info with lawmaker & staff  Invitations to visit local programs and services  Send lawmaker and staff your bulletins, newsletters throughout the year.  Send photos and a pinwheel  IF YOU DIDN’T MEET : Invite them to visit!

After Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day  Communicating in your community  Provide report for in in-house newsletter articles  Send press release to local media  Share photos, info on social media  Contact morning radio, TV  Letters (thank you, private and public)

Let Us Help You Prepare!  Any Questions?

Bobby Dorigo Jones, Policy and Outreach Associate (517) 648-5072 robert@michiganschildren.org Michigan’s Children www.michiganschildren.org